


i'm sorry

by letshirosleep



Series: Infinity War Aftermath [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Peter has anxiety, Sad Peter, bucky is a chaotic gay, may is there i guess, tony kinda has a heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-05
Updated: 2018-06-05
Packaged: 2019-05-07 23:09:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14681382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/letshirosleep/pseuds/letshirosleep
Summary: Peter is alive. But how? He isn't sure where he is, or why... But it seems like he isn't alone.Tony is upset. He needs to get Peter back... for everyone's sake.Oh, and the other half of the universe too.





	i'm sorry

**Author's Note:**

> this does include infinity war spoilers.

"Mr. Stark?" 

Peter looked down at his hands. 

"I don't feel so good..." 

He shuffled forward, towards Tony.

"You're alright," Tony replied, although he was unsure of this himself.

"I don't-I don't know what's happening-" Tony caught Peter and held him in his arms as he began to turn to dust... ashes... whatever it was. His heart broke further as Peter began to cry. "Hey, hey-"

"I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go, Sir,  _please_ ," Tony couldn't hold him anymore. Peter continued rambling. "Please, I don't wanna go..." His crying continued.

_"I don't wanna go!"_

They fell to the ground as the last of Peter began to melt away.

"I'm sorry."

And that was it. He was gone. Tony watched with a devastated face as the dust flew around him. He tried to catch what was left, but instead just... sat there. Not knowing what to do. He lost him. He lost Peter, after telling him to go home, after trying to keep him safe... After everything he had tried to do... Nothing. Nothing was left of Peter, the one who he had almost thought of as a son... nothing except for the dust on the ground. What was he going to tell Peter's aunt?

Instead of contemplating what he would say back on Earth, Tony sat in Peter's dust, head in hand, and closed his eyes.

-

He sat up with a loud gasp. He couldn't see anything, or at least he only saw light. He sat up quickly but immediately felt lightheaded, so he sighed and laid back down. He brought his arm over his forehead to try and calm down.

"Wait."

He could see his arm! He wasn't dead after all! 

Peter smiled at the suit that Tony had given to him when they were heading to save Dr. Strange. It was astounding. 

But still, he was quite confused as to where he was. He crossed his legs, remaining seated on the ground. 

Finally, Peter remembered what had happened at a time that seemed lifetimes ago. He had...died? Vanished? He wasn't quite sure how to describe it. Upon closer inspection, Peter realized what was wrong.

The edges of his fingers were...dusty.

Tears welled up at the corners of Peter's eyes. He didn't really leave Mr. Stark, did he? Or Aunt May? Or Ned? He hoped they were okay back on Earth... or wherever they were at the moment. He could imagine his aunt calling him repeatedly after not coming home from his field trip, or how Ned must be worried sick... Or Mr. Stark. He had to be feeling horrible too, right?

Maybe he had forgotten about him, honestly. He could've, he's taken away things of his before, he might not care at all. Peter shook his head, trying to think rationally. Mr. Stark cares, why else would he hold him before he...died?

"I don't wanna go!"

Peter's hands shook slightly as he thought of what had happened. He died. He's dead, and this is heaven. Or hell. Or... He didn't really know. Where the hell is he?

He sighed again. That was such a short run too. How old is he now? Fifteen, eighteen, a million? He can't even remember how long he has been here. Which is... where?

The entire situation just made Peter's head throb with pain. He decided to stop thinking about it. Instead, he stood up and walked away, in the direction that felt best.

-

Nebula was kind enough to fly Tony back to Earth so he could repair his suit and assess the situation. He knew he would have to tell May at some point... but he really didn't want to. The thought was dreadful, a harrowing, dark thought at the back of his mind. Half of the entire universe's population is gone, and he feels that it is partially his fault. Well, at least one person's disappearance is. He had said it himself. 

As Tony greeted the press and made sure the world knew that he was fine, or at least what was left of it, he made his way over to May's apartment. As soon as the car pulled up to the building, he regretted even coming. But this was both for May's sake, and Peter's. So, he made his way up to the seventh floor. Tony stood in front of the door for a solid minute before walking away.

He stopped in his tracks and walked back to the door, before walking away again. This continued for several minutes before Tony decided to knock on the door. Almost immediately, May opened the door, and her face faltered for a second, but she let him in. He sat down on the couch, contemplating what he was going to say.

"Where's Peter?" 

The question shook Tony from his gaze. He looked at her, then put his head in his hands. He struggled to get any sort of cohesive phrases or sentences to come out of his mouth, but nothing would form. May stared at him for a moment, before exiting the room and returning with a cup of coffee. For herself, he assumed, but then she handed it to him. He placed it on the table before looking up at her, with tears already falling from his eyes and down his face. 

"No. No! He is not dead, is he?" May shouted, standing up. She got closer to him. "Tell me Stark, right now, that my Peter isn't dead."

Finally, Tony spoke. "Honestly? I don't know what happened to him." It was barely audible, but enough to enrage May further.

"What do you mean you don't know what happened? Were you not there? I need a full explanation now, Stark." He looked away from her, sighing heavily.

"So... there's this guy called Thanos. He has these magical stones that can basically do whatever he wants. He wanted to wipe out half of humanity randomly." Tony paused, choking up again. He clasped a hand over his mouth to keep himself from crying out. This was embarrassing. He's crying in front of Peter's aunt! 

"We tried to stop him, stop him from taking all of the stones... But he did it. He was too powerful." Tony struggled to say his next words. "Peter... melted away in my arms. There was nothing more I could've done."

"I'm sorry."

May was sobbing now. Tony finally stood up. 

"I'll be on my way then. Have to try to figure out how to get him back, after all," Tony said as he made his way to the door.

"Get him back?"

"Yeah. I don't think he's dead. I just... don't know where he went."

And with that, he exited the apartment.

-

He had been walking for ages. It felt like an eternity, not that Peter was trying to keep track of time. He just had a feeling that if he kept walking, everything would be okay.

His exhaustion was creeping up on him as he trudged into the nothingness that laid ahead. It was going to catch up to him soon... Peter just knew it. But he kept walking.

As he walked, his mind raced. What had happened? Why was he here? Where is here? His headache was starting to return as he finally shook his head to get rid of the thoughts. 

Maybe he could go faster... The thought of using his powers just made him upset at this point, but it was worth a shot to see if anyone else was here too.

"Karen, activate web-grenade." 

Peter heard a slight beeping noise, but no response. He must not be on Earth, or anywhere near it. Sighing, Peter deactivated the suit that Tony had given him and sighed at his first upgraded suit that was underneath. He shot his web at the ground far away, but it didn't seem to attach. Peter quickly became frustrated as the failed attempts piled up. After about what felt like a month, Peter let his shoulders drop and continued to walk. 

He soon felt his exhaustion catch up to him. Finally, Peter's legs gave out, and he collapsed. 

-

"Hey!” 

He sat up with a gasp, then a scream. He quickly silenced himself.

"Who are you?"

"I-wait. Which names are we using."

The long-haired man stared at him. "Names...?"

"Yeah...Like your real name? Or the super-hero one."

Bucky smiled at the young boy. "I'm Bucky, Bucky Barnes."

Peter smiled back. "Nice to meet you Mr. Barnes, I'm Peter."

Bucky ignored that he had been so formal and squinted his eyes instead. "Wait a minute. Aren't you that spider kid that I fought with a few years back?"

Peter's eyes went wide. "Years?! We've been here for  _years_?!" His breathing became heavy and he struggled to maintain a solid pace.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down kid. It's okay." Bucky sighed, not sure of what to do. "I was just messing with you." 

"T-then how long has it been?" Peter asked, trying to calm down. Bucky shrugged, adjusting himself so he was sitting cross-legged next to Peter. 

"I dunno. But I bet your pal Stark will have us out of here in no time."

Shit. Peter had forgotten about Mr. Stark. He probably had forgotten by now. 

“Yeah. Mr. Stark.” Peter scratched his forehead. He sat up further, Bucky finally helping him to his feet.  

Peter could really use a hug right now. But he wasn’t going to tell this super cool dude with a robot arm that he was in need of a hug. He wants to go home and sleep in his bed, go back to school and talk to Ned, see Aunt May, see Mr. Stark...

But none of that seemed possible right now, and it seemed that both Peter and Bucky knew it.


End file.
